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Luke didn’t understand it, probably because he’d never experienced anything like it—anyone like her. He might not get it, but he knew one thing for sure—he wasn’t finished with the good doctor just yet.
He rolled over, only to find the other side of the bed empty.
He patted the sheet and groaned. Not just empty. Cold. She’d obviously been up and gone a while. Well, wasn’t that a kicker? The first time he wanted more from a woman, she obviously didn’t care enough to wake him to say goodbye.
He rose from the bed and discovered a note on top of his clothes, which Alexa had folded and placed on her dresser.
Thanks for last night. Emergency at hospital. Let yourself out. A.
Well damn.
Chapter Four
“Are you sure your father wasn’t a hoarder?” Luke asked Cole as they lugged yet more boxes of admitted crap from the basement to the curb.
Cole dropped his box with a groan. “No comment.”
The day had dawned, sunny and hot for a July morning in New York.
“You know what’s in these things?” Luke asked as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm.
“Fishing magazines. Now can we talk about something else? Like where the hell you were all night?”
“When did you become my goddamn mother? I already called to tell you I wouldn’t be here till later this morning.”
“You also said you met someone. Then you walked in here this morning and not a word about it. Serendipity’s a small town. Chances are I know her. So tell me more.”
Luke had no intention of standing around and gossiping like a girl. Ignoring his buddy, he headed back to the house for another load of trash.
“Was she any good?” Cole asked, pushing for answers.
Not that he blamed him. In the past, they’d never hesitated to share information if they picked up a hot chick after a game or out of town. The thing was, it’d been a long while since Luke had been on that path. Cole either. So maybe that explained the other man’s interest.
“What’s wrong? Dry spell so bad you have to live vicariously through me?” Luke teased as Cole caught up to him inside the house.
Cole opened the fridge and tossed Luke a Vitamin Water, taking one and chugging it down before meeting Luke’s gaze. “Touchy and secretive about a hookup with a tramp who doesn’t mind doing you not twenty-four hours after meeting you.”
Luke clenched his teeth and silently counted to ten, reminding himself that this was Cole’s way of provoking him into replying. Cole wasn’t Mr. Sensitive, but he wasn’t a jackass about women, either.
“Not going there,” Luke said.
He wasn’t in the right frame of mind to talk about Alexa. Truth be told, he was pissed she’d left him alone in her bed. The least she could’ve done was wake him before she headed out. The sad thing was, he’d done it to many women in the past, never thinking how shitty it would feel to be on the other end. And maybe some women could handle it. Hell, if certain females had left his bed before he woke up, he’d have been one happy man. Not that he’d tempted fate by letting them stay. He knew better than to set up expectations. And maybe that was why he felt so crappy now. One-night stand or not, he liked her enough to see her again. Clearly, she didn’t feel the same and that sucked.
“Hey. I’m serious. Who is it? Obviously, she got to you, and if I know her, maybe I can help.” Cole hopped onto the counter.
Now that Cole realized Luke was really bothered, he’d cut the bullshit. And that was the friend Luke would talk to. “Alexa Collins,” Luke finally said.
Cole’s mouth opened wide. “No shit? The doctor?”
“One and the same.”
His friend let out a slow whistle. “You don’t mess round. Class all the way. No wonder she got to you.”
Luke downed half the bottle of Vitamin Water and let it stand as his answer. Cole was right. Alexa had gotten to him, and he didn’t know what to do about it. “Do you know her?”
“Her dad’s my father’s doctor, and he spent a lot of time with my old man in the last couple of months. When I was around, I picked up things.”
“Like?” He propped a hip against the counter and waited.
“She’s an all work, no play kind of woman. Doesn’t seem like you’d have much in common there.” Cole raised an eyebrow.
“Then you’d be wrong.” They’d hit it off. Everything about her interested him. “From her perspective, it sounded more like her father had pushed her in the career direction she took. It’s expected of her, but I’m not sure she’s that happy with the result.”
“Her old man says she’s taking over as chief of staff at University Hospital when he retires. She’s a shoo-in with the board. And to keep herself there, she has no playtime. Hell, man. I don’t think she knows how to play.”
