Endeared (The Accidental Billionaires #5) - J. S. Scott Page 0,4

brain was now encased inside a droolworthy, muscular body that delighted every one of my female hormones.

I took a deep breath. “No, it doesn’t bother me,” I confessed as I released the air from my lungs. “I respect your opinions and skills.”

Truthfully, how could I not? He’d graduated from a top-rated medical school at the top of his class, in an accelerated program, for God’s sake. He’d then completed his three-year family-medicine residency at one of the most respected teaching and research hospitals in the country.

There was no argument that he was impressively qualified, even if he was just starting his own practice.

I just don’t like . . . him!

But did I really need to like the guy if I respected his professional competency?

No. No, I really don’t need to like him personally at all to learn from him.

Even if he was technically my boss, I would have much preferred that we had an amicable relationship.

Owen Sinclair had been a close friend in high school until he’d burned me, but that had happened a decade ago. None of his behavior now led me to believe that he wasn’t a very good physician. I’d seen him in action for a couple of months now, and even though I had my personal differences with Owen, I was in awe of the man professionally.

I just have to stay professional. I cannot let my personal feelings interfere with my work.

Okay, so maybe I’d had a bad case of puppy love for Owen by the end of our senior year in high school, but I’d gotten over that in a hurry. Once I’d realized he wasn’t the guy I thought he was, that stupid teenage longing had disappeared in a heartbeat.

“We could discuss all this at dinner tonight,” he said hopefully. “We both worked through lunch. Let’s go get something to eat.”

“No, thank you,” I said snippily. “I have other plans.”

It wasn’t the first time Owen had suggested doing something outside of the clinic, but I wasn’t about to go there with him.

I’d trusted him once, and he’d betrayed that trust. I had no desire to get chummy with him again as an adult.

We worked together, and I had to maintain a professional demeanor with Owen, but I didn’t have to like or hang out with the guy.

Owen released a masculine sigh as he leaned back in his office chair.

His lab coat and scrubs were gone. He’d cleaned up in the clinic shower, and he’d put on a pair of dark jeans and a forest-green tee once office hours had ended, which was a really good, casual look on him.

I could almost see the old friend I’d once known, without the scrubs and the lab coat.

Not that I’d really been paying attention to how he looked, or what he did, but it was damn hard not to notice all kinds of things about him when we worked in the same space.

Oh, sweet Jesus, who was I fooling? It was difficult not to see a man like Owen, even if I didn’t like him personally.

I’d have to be completely blind to be capable of completely ignoring him.

His jet-black hair was cropped, but there was just enough length to see that the mass of locks tended to curl if it wasn’t cut short. His sharp green eyes, with thick, long eyelashes most women would kill to possess, were so compelling that they were almost mesmerizing.

Unfortunately, his powerful body was just as irresistible as his handsome face, and I couldn’t help but stare as he reclined in his chair, that mouthwatering, masculine form on full display as he stretched like a lazy cat.

He’s my boss, for God’s sake. I have to stop looking at him like I would be more than happy to devour him for dinner. I need to remember that I can’t stand the man—therefore, it shouldn’t matter if he looks good enough to eat.

I shook myself and forced my eyes from his powerful, ripped body.

Owen lifted a brow. “Are you ever going to explain how we went from being the best of friends in high school to this cold, professional relationship, Layla? How did we go from sharing almost every secret we had with each other . . . to this?”

Maybe you shared some of your secrets, but you know nothing about mine!

I shook my head. “We’re adults now, Dr. Sinclair, and I think you know exactly why I’m not interested in hanging out with you.”

He popped his chair straight again and put his arms