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Matteo is scary when he’s upset. The darkness of his eyes and the stern set of his mouth showcase his anger.

Is this how other people usually see him? I’ve never seen this kind of dark emotion from him before. Never been put off by his serious nature.

He pauses when I hit the door with my back and jump. Does he think I’m flinching away from him?

I bite my lip, reaching a hand out to him. “Tell me what’s going on.”

The way Matteo sighs has dread sinking into my stomach, but he takes my hand in his. “My son posted a picture of the two of you making cupcakes online.”

Okay. That’s not so bad. I told him that he could. We weren’t doing anything wrong, but the issue that stems from it hangs in the air.

“And some rumors started in the center. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but there’s nothing nurses and doctors like more than to gossip. Since they can’t about their patients, they focus on each other.” He’s closing the distance between us, as I turn over what that means.

“And they’ve started talking about me.”

He nods. “About my giving you favoritism. Us having an inappropriate relationship.”

I frown. “Of course. It’s not true though.”

Nothing about this feels inappropriate. Although being alone in his office with the door closed could make it so, but everything else is rubbish.

“It’s not, but there’s also an email chain that my assistant sent me. I’m sure there’s more to it now, but what I saw…isn’t good.”

My hand finds his chest, and his soft groan has my heart beating faster. Heat rushes through me. “Do I want to see it?”

He searches my gaze. “I would never presume to answer that for you. Do you?”

Sighing, I close my eyes and think about it. I’ll probably think about it all day, but if I know what they’re saying, I’ll focus on it even more. I don’t need that in my life. “No. I don’t think it’s necessary. I’m sure I can guess the kinds of things they’re saying anyway.”

His big hand gently cradles my cheek. “And we can’t know what else is being said that I haven’t heard yet. You’re right not to give them the space or the time.”

“But is this affecting you? Your job?” I tremble under the soft way he brushes my cheek with his thumb.

“I’m not your boss, and I’m not going to let anyone use this against me. Don’t let anyone try to tell you that this is against the rules, inappropriate, or that you’re in any kind of trouble.” Matteo is so damn gentle with me.

It taps into my heart a little deeper. “You’re far sweeter than anyone gives you credit for. You know that?”

His smile is such a reward.

Better when he dips in to kiss me. A slow press of his lips, coaxing me open, growing so intense that I can hardly breathe. Still, he delves deeper, his hands squeezing my waist, pressing us together.

He groans when I lift my leg around his hip, his hand cupping under my knee and grinding his hips into mine before he breaks off our kiss.

“You are trouble.” He gives me a smaller, more intimate smile. “The best kind.”

I laugh and nip his lip as he lowers my leg.

“Go before this turns into more.” The humor and happiness in his eyes make me giddy. When he opens the door, I slip out, pulling my shirt back into place and biting back a grin that makes Matteo’s dark eyes flash.

I’m adjusting myself as I walk into my lab, smoothing my hair back into a high ponytail to keep it out of my way for some of the testing I need to do today.

And Nick appears once I snap the band in place.

“Hey.” His gaze peruses me.

“Hey.” The ease I’m used to seeing in Nick isn’t present. This is a little awkward, and I’m not sure what to say.

I’m waiting for him to crack a joke and make a thinly veiled pass at me, but that dinner changed things. His ex changed things.

And maybe last night with Matteo changed things. Maybe what Dr. Wright and I did should too, but…

I don’t want it to.

He breaks the awkward silence by saying, “We’re still friends, right?”

The laugh that pulls out of me has me naturally touching his arm. A subtle spark zaps between us. “Yes. We most definitely are. It’s not right for me to hold something against you that wasn’t your fault.”

Nick steps a little closer, brow raising with a little mischief. “Does that mean I might get another chance at a real date?”

My breath shakes, reminding me of how easy it was to spend the night with him, how good he made me feel, how he looked when I returned the favor.

It’s more than his attractive outsides. I know he’s a good man. And being around him is so easy. “It might. What would we do on this date?”

He takes another step closer, almost eliminating the space between us. “Ever been surfing?”

I grin at him. “No, but I do love the water.”

His grin matches mine, and he’s practically pressed against me now. “So, that’s a yes?”

A new, heartier laugh escapes me, and his blue eyes light up. I brush my thumb over his mouth, dipping between his lips. He gives my thumb a small kiss. “Yes.”

There’s a gleam in his eyes that makes my heart pump fast. I’m not sure what I’m doing, but I enjoy being around him. And I can’t seem to deny myself.

I’m too young and too single to dismiss the way he makes me feel.

We’re still grinning at each other when my first two subjects show up for their labs and separate us.