Page 19 of Intense (Beneath The Blaze #3)

STEPHANIE

I do a final spin in the mirror, making sure my ass looks good. This dress is tight as hell, to the point I’m scared that once I eat, I won’t be able to breathe.

But it’s worth it for how good I feel. I’ve been strict this week on cutting out any snacks. Drinking so much water, I can’t stop peeing. It worked, though.

I pair the dress with a pair of gold strappy Jimmy Choos and my serpent necklace; I look good enough to eat.

I trail my hands along my chest, down the very low-cut neckline that dips between my breasts. You can see the tail of my tattoo sneaking up in the middle.

My snake. I call her Raven. Beautiful and deadly. Just like how I feel tonight.

The tattoo represents power. How something smaller than you can still kill you.

There’s a knock at the door. I swipe up my purse and down my champagne.

A smiling Poppy greets me.

“Wow, Steph. I mean, Dr. Miller.”

I laugh.

“Steph is fine, Poppy. You look beautiful,” I tell her.

The baby pink dress, filled with sequins, makes her look like a princess. It’s very her—cute and sweet.

“Thank you. Is it too much?”

I shake my head. I need to work on her self-confidence. Especially if she’s going to make it as a heart surgeon.

“No matter what you wear, it’s never too much.”

“I swear, I’m not normally this bad. It’s just… you’re so, so cool, Steph. I aspire to be like you.”

That makes my heart stutter.

No. She doesn’t want to be like me. Maybe my work self. But not who I am underneath.

I do horrible things. Even if I believe it’s right, that doesn’t mean it is.

“Come on, let’s go watch Dr. Quinn win all the awards and rub it in my face,” I joke, hiding the sting that comes with it.

Just another thing for him to be smug about.

By the time we get down to the lobby, all the guys are already at the bar drinking. Finn is assessing the room with a whiskey in hand while the other men laugh beside him.

His eyes lock on mine the second I walk in, then drag down the length of my body.

I walk straight past him and order my drink at the bar.

“You’re late,” his deep voice rumbles behind me.

I ignore him, taking the champagne from the bartender.

“Write it in your notepad if you’re bothered. You might get me fired by the end of the year if you carry on.”

“Hopefully.”

I spin to face him.

Holy shit.

The black tux. The slicked-back hair. The tattoos. That goddamn smirk.

“I’ll need something new to write in if you carry on with this attitude.”

His eyebrow arches, and I take a long, slow sip of my drink.

“Write a book or something, Dr. Quinn. Go make yourself even more money.” I wink at him.

That’s how he gets through everything in life. Just more and more money.

He tilts his head, staring into my eyes. Like he’s trying to read my soul.

“You scrub up pretty well, Dr. Miller.”

“Jeez, thanks. What a compliment.” I roll my eyes and scoot past him, half expecting him to follow. But he doesn’t. By the time I get to the table with Poppy and Josh, I don’t need to look over to know he’s still watching.

The double doors open to the grand hall.

Everyone rushes in to get to their tables. As I tip my head back to finish my drink, I sense someone next to me.

“Dr. Miller. Lovely to see you again.”

I go still and cringe internally.

Jesus. I forgot he was going to be here.

The one-night stand that won’t fucking die.

This is why I have the never sleep with someone in the same industry rule.

Because it comes back to bite you in the ass.

I turn to face him, plastering on my professional smile.

An attending cardiology surgeon of New York State Hospital is looking me up and down like he wants to devour me.

“Hey, Zak. It’s been a while,” I greet him.

He opens his arms for a hug. I frown. Wait. I’m probably making it weird. So I step uncomfortably into the hug.

“Too long, Steph.”

I quickly pull away, blowing one of my curls out of my face. He still looks good. Those blonde curls, that navy suit—he pulls it off.

“We’re busy people, Zak.”

He nods.

“Well, if you transferred over to New York, you could be less busy for me.”

“I’ve already said no. I like it where I am.”

He chews the inside of his cheek.

“There is always tonight?” he whispers.

“That isn’t a good idea, Zak.” I give him a tight-lipped smile.

He’s a good guy.

Scratch that. He was a good guy. Now he’s engaged. Baby on the way. Word gets around.

So maybe he’s just another piece of shit with a stethoscope.

“It doesn’t need to be any different from last time.”

When he leans in, I step back.

“Oh, Zak. Can I borrow your phone?”

Amidst his horny haze, gazing right at my cleavage, he hands it over—unlocked.

Men can be so fucking stupid.

With a sinister smile, I pull up his messages. It’s easy to find his fiancée.

“Now, Zak. Should I call Elsa and explain how the love of her life is trying to fuck his one-night stand from two years ago—again—at a work conference in Vegas? I’m sure she’d want to know what kind of douchebag she’s marrying.”

His mouth drops open. I hit dial.

He moves fast like a fucking ninja, but I duck out of his way.

“You’re being a bitch.”

I let out a chuckle and toss the phone across the floor.

“Go on. Get on your knees and crawl to get your phone, you fucking dog,” I hiss.

He shakes his head and steps into my space. His nostrils flare.

I tip my chin up.

“I’m not scared of men like you,” I whisper.

“I’ll have you lose your job for this.”

I shrug.

And then he’s pulled away from me.

I come face-to-face with a furious Finn, gripping Zak by the scruff of his neck.

I glance around; thankfully, everyone has filtered into the ceremony room.

“Stay the fuck away from her,” Finn hisses and throws him to the floor.

Zak scrambles away, leaving just the two of us.

“Uh… Thank you?”

I tug at the hem of my dress. I guess I better keep up the damsel-in-distress act.

“You’re welcome.” He nods, straightening his bow tie.

If he really disliked me that much, why would he step in like that?

“Like I’d let that asshole have you fired. If anyone gets to be responsible for it, it’s me. Good luck tonight.” He smirks and strides away without another word.

Ah. There it is.

Asshole.

Sometimes I wonder why I’m still into men.

I guess it must be their dicks.

Because I’ve yet to see what else they’ve got going for them.