Page 5 of What the Doctor Ordered

K iley

My breaths were coming out in harsh pants as I pushed through the doors of the club and out into the cool night air.

The soothing breeze did little to calm my nerves however and I had to focus hard not to break into a sprint.

I wanted to get as far away from this place as possible but also didn’t want to raise any more alarms by looking like I was running.

Even though that’s exactly what I was doing.

My heels clicked against the pavement as I hurried away from the building. I tried to think of anything else, but the last few minutes just kept replaying over and over again in my head.

Tears sprang to my eyes, but I willed them back, feeling like such a fool.

I couldn’t believe my rotten luck. I couldn’t believe that the second I decide to give dating another chance, I end up with a princely man, get very close to falling for him on the spot, and then find out that he’s actually a cheating scumbag who was married!

This kind of thing could only happen to a bad luck magnet like me.

Not only did I end up getting my heart stomped on during the first date, but I caused a scene as well.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I replayed the moment that Dr. Vale appeared.

At first, I had just been curious about him.

He obviously knew Kramer. Why else would he have come up to approach?

My first thought was that Dr. Vale was extremely handsome.

He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes with flecks of fiery embers in them.

I didn’t have long to admire him though before he gave me news that caused my heart to stutter.

I thought that Kramer and I were having such a pleasant evening, and we had been before I learned he was married.

And while I had just met him that day, the betrayal was just a reminder of how many times I’d gotten burned after trusting someone.

The words ‘better off alone’ bounce around in my brain.

The next thing I knew, a fist was flying right into Kramer’s face.

I was so shocked that I couldn’t even scream when the two started to fight.

By the time I shook myself out of it and was about to rush in to stop them, security arrived, and Kramer was stalking out of there angrily.

Just like that, I was alone again. Alone, embarrassed, disappointed, and more than a little angry.

Depression slammed into me, tightening my chest and bringing tears to my eyes.

I sniffled and clenched my fists at my sides.

I was stronger than this. I had just started talking to Kramer.

I couldn’t let this brief date affect me like this.

It was more than just the betrayal of finding out Kramer was married, a voice whispered in my mind.

I had been lonely and just didn’t want to admit it.

Well, that was just too bad because this whole night pretty much confirmed that I shouldn’t be dating anyway. Bad things happen when I let myself be vulnerable. Sometimes, it felt like I was never going to learn.

“Miss!” A deep male voice called out from behind me.

I jumped and whirled around to find Dr. Vale hurrying toward me.

I felt my face flame as I took in his strong form and intense eyes.

Something heated up inside of me as I pictured the way he threw his fist into Kramer’s face.

I swallowed hard, then, instead of facing him like a normal person, I turned around and started sprinting down the street like a crazy person.

“Hey, wait!” Dr. Vale called after me.

I didn’t stop, afraid to even look back at him. I needed to get out of here. My mind was swirling, adrenaline coursing through my veins as my heels clacked against the ground.

“Stop,” he yelled in a commanding tone.

My heart hammered in my chest, and my feet seemed to stop without my permission. I didn’t turn to face him though, squeezing my eyes shut as I stood there on the path. My nerves seemed to spike when I heard Dr. Vale getting closer and closer. His footsteps stopped right behind me.

“Don’t be afraid,” he soothed. “I just want to talk to you.”

My breathing hitched. “About what?” I asked, hating the way my voice shook.

Dr. Vale cursed quietly under his breath. “I apologize,” he said. “This is incredibly rude of me. I don’t even know your name.” He suddenly appeared in front of me. “My name is Simon. Simon Vale. May I ask for your name?”

I inhaled sharply and craned my neck to look up at him. He was tall, even taller than Kramer. “Kiley,” I managed to respond. “Kiley Hart.”

Simon smiled at me, and his expression was gentle. “It was an unpleasant situation, but it is nice to meet you,” he said, holding his hand out toward me.

It took me a moment to lift my hand to his. My face flamed at the contact. His hands were smooth but strong and incredibly warm. “Nice to meet you too,” I replied, and a tight laugh fell from my lips. “Despite the strange circumstances that we’re meeting under, that is.”

One corner of Simon’s mouth twitched before his eyes darkened and his brows pinched a bit. “I apologize for what happened.”

Something akin to shamed filled me and I averted my eyes. “Well, I better get going,” I said. “It’s getting late.” I pulled my hand out of his and backed up a few steps, turning to go.

Simon reached out and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back. “I’m afraid I can’t let you go just yet,” he said, and his deep voice was stern.

I blinked in confusion, trying to push down the heat that was quickly building between my legs. The hand he grabbed me with was the same one he used to punch Kramer in the face. My heart started to pound even harder and I realized with a start that I was aroused.

I swallowed hard. “Why not?” I asked and I forced myself to narrow my eyes. “You can’t keep me here. I am exhausted from the trying night I’ve had and would appreciate it if you would step aside so I can just go home.” I attempted to pull away from him, but his hand just tightened on my shoulder.

“I can’t let you go off on your own after what happened,” he said firmly. “You might be going into shock. You need someone to look after you for a little while.”

“I’m completely fine,” I snapped, pulling away even harder. Managing to escape his grasp, I started resolutely back down the road. I jumped when Simon appeared in front of me again.

“You are going to hear what I have to say,” he nearly growled, making my eyes widen.

I looked up at him and something in his expression caused my eyes to divert to the ground. “Sorry,” I murmured. “I’m the one being rude. You helped me out back there by exposing Kramer for who he was. Thank you for that. It could have been a disaster.”

Simon’s entire body relaxed but he did eye me suspiciously for another moment, as if he expected me to start running again. “You’re welcome,” he said. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt or anything, are you?”

My chest warmed at the question. This guy didn’t know me at all, but he seemed genuinely concerned about me anyway. I was touched but he still left me on edge as well. His determination to not let me get away from him was sending up red flags in my mind.

“I’m alright,” I said quickly, waving my hands in front of my face. “Kramer might have been a jerk and a liar, but he didn’t hurt me physically.”

Simon didn’t miss the emphasis that I placed on the last word. His dark eyebrows furrowed.

“Would you like to talk about it?” he asked carefully.

I blinked at him in surprise. “Are you that kind of doctor?” I wondered, remembering that Kramer had called him “Dr. Vale”.

Simon laughed and the sound was light and airy. “I’m not a therapist or psychiatrist if that’s what you’re asking,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m in family medicine but that doesn’t mean that I don’t get concerned when a young woman is being disrespected.”

“I appreciate that. You were quite the knight in shining armor,” I said, looking up at him shyly.

Simon nodded but then he suddenly looked down at me with a concerned frown. “You look a bit pale,” he said. “Are you sure that you’re feeling alright?”

I let out a shuddery breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Almost immediately, my head started to spin a little. “I feel a little lightheaded,” I admitted quietly.

Simon nodded seriously, put an arm around my shoulders, and led me to the side of the path.

“You should sit down,” he spoke gently, guiding me to a seat on the intricate metal bench that was conveniently placed there. “I want to be certain you’re not going into shock.”

My teeth chattered a bit, and I rubbed my bare arms with my hands, trying to warm them.

Simon’s frown deepened as he watched me. “Why don’t you have a jacket?” he asked, trying to keep his tone polite, but I could hear the hard edge behind the words. He started to take his suit jacket off.

“No, don’t do that,” I practically begged, putting a hand on his arm to stop him. “Please don’t. It’s chilly tonight. You’ll get cold!”

Simon ignored me and continued to shrug off his jacket. Before I knew it, the garment was around my shoulders. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “You’re the one who is shivering. Now be a good girl and keep that jacket on until you calm down.”

I was embarrassed to have been caught being careless enough to not have a jacket on a cold night like tonight, so I obeyed, trying not to notice that Simon’s scent was currently surrounding me.

I closed my eyes, wrapping the material even more tightly around me.

It smelled like cedar and warmth. It took a few minutes, but I did start to feel better.

Maybe I had been more affected by the confrontation than I’d realized.

I hoped that Simon didn’t find me too pathetic for it.

“How did you meet Kramer anyway, if you don’t mind me asking,” Simon asked, breaking the comfortable silence we had fallen into.

I laughed, sounding embarrassed to my own ears. “My friend convinced me to download a dating app and Kramer and I matched right away,” I said, shaking my head with regret. “Maybe that’s a lesson not to go out with the first guy you match with.”

It took me a moment to realize that Simon had stiffened beside me. “I think the real lesson is to not meet random strangers off the internet,” he said, his tone stern once again.

My jaw dropped. “Excuse me,” I snapped. “I did everything right. I looked into his background to make sure he was a real person, and I made certain we were meeting in a real location that was very public. My best friend knew exactly where I’d be.”

“That doesn’t mean that you knew his true character,” Simon countered.

He gestured toward the building. “Think about what just happened. You looked into his background and yet, you didn’t know he was married.

And you two seemed pretty cozy with each other despite the fact you just met him today.

What if he’d convinced you to go home with him? ”

I winced at the thought but clenched my jaw and glared hard at him. “You have no right to lecture me,” I said, my temper flaring. “I’m thankful that you stuck up for me. You really didn’t have to, but what I don’t appreciate is being judged for my choices by a complete stranger.”

Simon’s eyes narrowed even further, and he opened his mouth, most likely to retort. He stopped himself, shut his eyes for a long moment and then opened them again. I was surprised to find that they were filled with understanding.

“Of course, you’re right,” he said but there was some definite tension in his voice. “Forgive me. I can’t explain the extent of it or really understand it but knowing that he was mistreating you caused a raw reaction in me. I’m still angry at this very moment about how he treated you.”

I reeled slightly at his admission. This man just met me and yet he was genuinely concerned for me.

It was easy to see that he wasn’t exaggerating.

I could practically see the tension in his body.

It was clear, from the wrinkle above his right brow to the way he was clenching his fists at his sides.

“You’re kind,” I said quietly. “No one has worried about me like this before, not even my own parents.” I could hear the confusion and surprise in my voice.

Simon looked surprised as well and had a thoughtful look on his face. “Forgive me for being so forward,” he said. “But I would love to have you over at my place. Perhaps I could cook dinner.”

I felt the corner of my mouth twitch. “Weren’t you just implying that it would have been foolish of me to go home with a man after the first date?”

Simon chuckled and I was relieved when some of the tension dissipated from his body. “I did, didn’t I?” he said. “But to be fair, we didn’t go on a date.”

In a way, it felt like accepting this offer would have been like repeating the mistake I just made with Kramer, but this felt completely different.

I found myself smiling. “That’s true,” I grinned, feeling only a little crazy. “Okay, I’ll go home with you.”