He walked out completely unbothered.What the fuck?I wasn’t used to this. It was like he wasn’t pressed about me. Every man that I’d met that wanted to deal with me was pressed about me.God, who is this man?
A Very Little Time Later
The Pull Up . . .
I was exhausted. There was a twelve-car pileup on Interstate 77. It hurt my heart that there were four casualties. In the time span of forty-eight hours, I performed three surgeries and aided with two.
There was a knock on my office door. After I told whoever it was to come in, Paula entered. “Dr. Basil, there is someone at the nurses’ station for you.”
I’d just finished my surgical notes for the day. My head tilted and eyes squinted. “Who is it?”
Paula’s smile was cheesy. “I don’t know who it is. What I do know, though, is that he’s fine.”
Now my interest was piqued. The nurses here were nosy, so I needed some privacy. “If you don’t mind, please bring him to my office.”
She told me that she would. My spidey senses tingled to who it might be. My office wasn’t far from the nurses’ station. I took the time to make sure I had myself together. My hair was in my normal back bun, which was fine. Just as I applied my lip gloss, there was a knock on my door. “Come in.”
The door opened, and in came Mr. Alexander Conners. I attributed his relaxed attire to it being the weekend. It was a breezy day, so it made sense that he wore a Nike sweatsuit with matching sneakers. “Good afternoon, Dr. Basil. How are you doing today?”
I stood from my seat, then walked around my desk. “Mr. Conners, what a surprise. What do I owe this honor?”
“I wanted to take you to lunch. I know you’ve been busy with the pileup, and I know you haven’t eaten yet,” he said. When he smiled, I swore I saw dimples.
My neck pulled back.Wait!“How did you know I was busy and haven’t eaten yet?”
He methodically glided into my space. It felt like he loved to be there, and I couldn’t say that I minded. “Let’s just say that I have my ways. Can I take you to lunch, beautiful?”
“I think I can make that happen. I’m actually finished for the day. Where did you have in mind?” I asked.
His eyes went down to my feet, then traveled up to my head. “You look beautiful in your scrubs. Well, you look beautiful in anything, I’d imagine. Leave your purse here, and I’ll bring you back. I want you to ride with me.”
My face tightened before I snickered. “Um, sir. You didn’t answer my question of where we’re going?”
“I’m aware. That is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether you trust me to keep you safe wherever I take you. Do you, Hestia?”
There was a command in his voice that made it impossible for me not to trust him. I’d done my research on Mr. Alexander “Bread” Conners II. I knew that in his profession as a successful investment banker, he had to have a dominance that gave his clients the confidence that he knew exactly what he was doing. They entrusted him sometimes with millions of dollars and assets. What did I really have to lose?
“Yes, I trust you,” I told him. My tone was more sensual than I intended, or was it? This man had my mind discombobulated.
He smirked. “Good. I’m on my bike today, so you’re with me.”
An Appetite for Her . . .
Alexander Conners The First, taught me at a young age that when you saw something or someone that you wanted, to be unapologetic in your pursuit of that person or thing. I can attribute that teaching to much of my success. Failure was never an option and would never be. If there was ever something that I didn’t get, I regrouped, re-strategized, and got it with the new strategy.
I wanted Dr. Hestia Sanders Basil. I knew that from the moment I did my research on her. When I met her, it only solidified what I already knew. I would have her.
That wasn’t me being cocky. It was me being a man with an understanding of mutual sexual attraction. That was the basis ofgetting to know a person regardless of what others said. No one wanted to be with someone that they didn’t want to fuck. Now we needed to determine if we could establish something deeper. I was too old to fuck around with the fuck around. Eloise needed a step-mama, and I needed a wife.
Half of the battle was won because my daughter adored Hestia. However, I was smart enough to know that her as a mentor would be different than her as a stepmother. Since Hestia and I exchanged numbers, we’d texted lightly, but nothing too much. I wasn’t a texting type of man, if I had to be honest. Face-to-face conversation was what I liked.
I heard about the pileup from Bones earlier, who told me that Hestia would be busy today because of it. He told me about the deaths related to the accident, which was sad. Trauma surgeons were a little different because they didn’t necessarily have a set schedule. They worked when the traumas came in. When I called in a little over an hour ago, the nurse let me know that the next surgeon had come in to relieve Dr. Basil. It was perfect timing because I wanted to take her on a ride.
“Good. I’m on my bike today, so you’re with me.” I waited for her reaction.
It took less than five seconds for that sexy smirk to brighten her face. “Okay, I guess you want me to really trust you. I’m not one that’s used to riding in the back.”
I bowed my head for a second. “That’s because no one has ever made you feel safe enough to do so.” I reached my hand out to her. “You’re safe with me, beautiful.”
