u have a severe urinary tract infection," he said, turning his back to write on

ed out of the room, the heavy

ly manage the zipper on her skirt. She threw her clothes on, buttoning her blouse wrong in her fran

fied she might lock eyes with that devastatingly handsome doctor aga

e let out a long, shaky exhale. She reached in

rs met em

. No phone. And then it hit her-she hadn't grabbed the prescription slip ei

ack, a cruel reminder that she couldn't just walk away.

aloud, pressing the heels o

t back toward the clinic entrance. Th

e said, keeping her voice low. "I left my phone and my pre

her ear and shoulder. She pointed a manicured finger down th

She stopped a few feet away from the partially open door of room t

resonant voice. He was speaking rapidly, using complex m

chart. The harsh clinic lighting caught the sharp angles of his profile. T

The nurse, looking surprised to see her waiting, offered a brief, prof

e whispered, clu

aw Corbin lift his head, his icy bl

inted down the hallway, fleeing the

screen. It lit up with five missed

ter not

ked hard to

ctor. Don'

e ar

wer

e. She had completely forgotten. She looked at the address

pe pulled out her compact mirror. She looked awful. Her skin was pale, her eyes were red-r

ng at the hem of her wrinkled skirt. She took a deep breath, pa

rm croissants filled the room. Hope looked around, searching for the ma

ed at her. "Tabl

said. "I'm me

t thi

her, her eyes landing on the broad, imposing shoulders of a man sitting in the booth. The na

eeting her mother had drilled into her head. H

losed the medical journal on the

ngs stopped working. The blood

from her was Dr

asn't wearing the white coat anymore, bu

. The impact rattled the table, causing the silver spoon in the coffe

nct was to turn and run out the door, but

e small space. He extended a large, masculine hand t

hat exact hand, wrapped in a cold latex glove, touching the most intimate, vulne

t sofa like a puppet with its strings cut, her fingers

irk touched the corner of his mouth. He leaned back against t

ty, Ms. Spence," Corbin said, his low