Playboy Surgeon, Top-Notch Dad

Why had he crossed that line tonight?

She was a complicated woman with a child. She was white picket fences and promises of forever. He was his father’s son and liked women. Lots of women. He didn’t do commitment, didn’t do long-term relationships.

Yet, even now, with her staring at him as if he were the devil incarnate, he wanted to pull her to him and assure her that their touching had felt more right than anything he’d experienced in a long time. Maybe ever.

Which made no sense.

Likely the strain of caring for Dr T, of seeing his friend suffer, was getting to him and explained his weakness with Blair.

“I need to get Addy.” She turned, picked up her purse from where she’d set the leather bag after they’d arrived, then moved to where Addy had left her satchel of goodies to keep her entertained.

“I’ll walk you to your car.” He should just let her go. Should take a leaf from her book and pretend nothing had happened. Surely that would be for the best?

So, why couldn’t he? Why did he want to kiss her until she admitted that she’d been as affected as he had?

Blair slid the pink hand-held video game player into Addy’s bag. “There’s no need.”

“I’ll walk you to your car,” he repeated, irritated that she insisted upon pushing him away at every turn. “This neighborhood isn’t the best at night.”

This time Blair nodded without looking at him.

When she said it was time to go, Addy proudly pointed to the box filled with stuffed envelopes.

“See what I did, Mommy? Miss Stephanie says I’m a great ’lope stuffer and she hopes I’ll come back.” Addy looked at Stephanie for reassurance and the director nodded. “Can I, Mommy?”

“We’ll see.”

Oz wondered if he was the only one who noticed the break in Blair’s voice, the tremble of her hand, the way she looked anywhere in the room but at him.

“Dr Oz said I was a good helper, too, didn’t you, Dr Oz?” Addy bestowed him with the smile of an angel.

“I did, Pipsqueak.” Giving her an indulgent look, Oz touched Addy’s curly blond ponytail, letting a ringlet wrap around his finger.

Tight-lipped, Blair reached for Addy’s hand, effectively moving the girl away from him. He let her, hating how his rib cage crushed his internal organs to the point he could barely breathe.

Blair had told him to stay away from her and Addy.

Hell, no! The thought rushed through his heart. But if that was what Blair wanted, he’d honor her wishes. At least as much as he could, given their circumstances.

“Thanks for letting her help.” Blair hugged Stephanie. She smiled down at her daughter, who’d taken her Hello Kitty bag and slung it over her tiny shoulders. “Let’s go check on Aunt Reesee to see if she got lots of studying done.”

“Aunt Reesee?” Oz followed them out of the building. Dr T had mentioned Blair’s younger sister lived with her and Addy. Despite the twice-a-year trips Oz made to the Gulf, he knew very little about Blair outside of what Dr T had volunteered. He’d purposely never asked questions.

“My nineteen-year-old sister.” Blair kept her gaze locked on Addy, kept her tone even, probably for her daughter’s sake, because he suspected she’d like to lash out at him. “She’s in school at University of Alabama in Birmingham, but is taking several of her general study classes online to cut down on commuting and to help with Addy.”

“Aunt Reesee is cool,” Addy piped up, bouncing along beside them. “She lets me watch SpongeBob and drink soda pop after dark.”

Blair’s brow lifted. “Oh, really?”

Realizing her mistake, Addy faked a yawn and skipped ahead to Blair’s mid-size four-door sedan. When Blair punched the remote entry, unlocking the door, Addy climbed in and began buckling herself into a child safety seat.

“Blair, about earlier,” he began, speaking quietly in deference to the little girl who’d taken her video game out of her bag and chatted to her virtual pet.

Blair stepped back, not looking at him. “It was no big deal. Forget it happened.”

Despite having just told himself the same thing, he didn’t like Blair’s quick denial. She was treating him as if he were a lecherous creep and her disdain annoyed him.

“Wasn’t it?” he challenged.

Her teeth sank into her lower lip. “We both know you’re an incurable flirt. What happened didn’t mean a thing. Like I said, no big deal.” She glanced toward where Addy played her game. “I need to go.”

An incurable flirt? Blair’s words stung. She made it sound as if he were diseased and condemned. Maybe he was. After all, wasn’t that exactly how his mother had thought of his father? Like father, like son. Wasn’t that what she always said?

“Fine,” he bit out, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Not if I see you first,” she muttered under her breath.

She moved to Addy and checked to make sure the seat’s safety catches were properly latched.

“Bye, Dr Oz.” Addy waved, fighting back a yawn.

Oz’s diseased and condemned heart squeezed. “Bye, Pipsqueak.”

Blair closed the door, climbed into her car and drove away.

He raked his fingers through his hair, watching the taillights disappear into the night.

If he lived to a hundred, he wouldn’t forget the feel of Blair’s warm skin beneath his fingers, wouldn’t forget the softness, the fullness, the way she’d stared into his eyes while he’d cupped her face.

Deep down he’d always wondered what touching Blair would feel like.

Now he knew and wished like hell he didn’t.

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