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He was staring at me again. The guest had moved up to the counter behind him and was signing in, seemingly oblivious to whatever was happening right next to him. The people who visited these offices had their own issues to deal with. They didn’t care about my inevitable unemployment.
“Why don’t we have a chat?” he said. “I’d love to get your thoughts on things.”
He gestured to the area behind the reception desk, then reached over and took the bag dangling from my left hand. In the process, his fingers brushed my skin, sending shock waves through me.
“I don’t—” I started.
My voice sounded different. Shaky. Not like me at all.
If he noticed, though, he didn’t show it. He just took the bag and walked around to the area behind the reception desk.
Interesting that the brief touch seemed to have done nothing to him. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be the same.
2
JONAH
This had never happened before. I was known for being a professional, always keeping work and personal separate. I’d never once gotten romantically involved with a client, coworker, or colleague. In fact, I was a firm believer in the saying “don’t shit where you eat.” Crude, but it kept me on track.
But I’d never met anyone like the receptionist at one of the top psychiatric offices in Northern California. This woman was doing things to me. I just couldn’t seem to think about anything but the pressure her breasts were putting on the pearl buttons of her white silky blouse.
By the time Taylor returned from walking the patient back to Dr. Maloney’s office, I had lunch on the desk in front of us. I’d shoved my tablet off to the side—didn’t want to get food on it—and put a napkin and plastic fork at each of our place settings. It was a slightly romantic move if I had to say so myself. I was setting the table for this woman I’d just met.
“I hope water is okay,” Taylor said. “If not, I could run to the vending machine…”
I shook my head. “Water’s perfect. Thank you.”
It hit me as she slid onto the seat that Taylor would have actually gone to fetch a drink for me if I’d requested it. I didn’t like that. I wanted to be the one taking care of her. She deserved to be pampered.
I shook off that thought and popped open the box. Inside was a generous helping of lobster chunks on a top-split hot dog bun. It looked identical to the lobster rolls I’d had in New England.
“There are three doctors here, right?” I asked.
Taylor nodded. She’d opened her box as well and now was settling a napkin on her lap.
“Dr. Maloney owns the practice,” she said. “But we also have a marriage and family therapist and child psychologist. Dr. Maloney is the prescribing physician.”
I knew all that already. I’d researched this place thoroughly last night. I always prepared for my meetings even if what I prepared would never come up in conversation. I liked to be as informed as possible about the potential clients I was pitching.
“And how long have you worked here?” I asked.
That question jerked her head up. She looked at me, eyes wide. She hadn’t expected questions about herself, no doubt. The interesting thing was, I was far more curious about her than any of the rest of this practice.
Everything about Taylor Gibson intrigued me, from the fire in her eyes as she watched us talk about Veronica to the hunger in her expression as she eyed her lobster roll. What would it take for her to eye me with that same level of hunger? I’d love to find out.
“Two years,” she said. “Three years next summer.”
She turned her attention back to the food. I watched as she lifted the lobster roll and took a bite, wrapping her mouth around the generously-stuffed bun. I could clearly picture what those lips would look like wrapped around my cock. I felt bad for sexualizing something like that, but I couldn’t help it. In fact, I was having a hard time not picturing her naked, riding me as I gripped her hips, sinking my fingers into her smooth, soft skin.
Jesus, I was an asshole.
“I love it here,” she said. “I feel like I’m helping people.”
“Veronica is not here to replace you,” I blurted.
It was the elephant in the room. Well, that and the intense sexual attraction I felt for her. I was hoping she didn’t notice that, though.
She stopped chewing to stare at me, reminding me I hadn’t bitten into my own roll yet. I took the opportunity to do just that while she finished chewing and swallowed. She then set her roll down and reached for her water, uncapping it as she spoke.
