Triplets for The Millionaire - K.C. Crowne Page 0,13

by, and it was almost time for me to drive back to Dr. Bridges’ office to catch her on the way out. I tore myself away from my computer and closed it. As I did, I marveled at the idea of a woman who’d captivated me enough to make me forget about my work.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d known a woman who’d had that effect on me. As I grabbed my keys and coat and headed out, I realized there was a damn good chance the good doctor was unlike any woman I’d ever met.

And I couldn’t wait to get to know her better.

Chapter 4

LOLA

I was in the middle of packing up for the night when Sarah popped her head into my office.

“Hey!” she said, her usual excitement on her face. “Taking off for the night?”

“Yep. Actually trying to get out of here at a normal hour for once.”

“What’s the occasion?” Sarah asked as she stepped into the office.

“I’m visiting my mom,” I told her. “And I want to go see her before she’s off to dinner with her friends.”

She smiled sweetly. “That’s so nice you make time for your mom like that. God, I’ve known so many kids who, when their parents got old, just tossed them into an old-folks home and forgot about them except when it’s time to pay the bill. Totally not what I’m going to do.”

I glanced up at Sarah, her words a reminder of why I liked her so much. She could be a little immature, but she had a good heart. Of course, she was twenty-four, which meant she wouldn’t be worrying about what to do with her parents for another few decades, at least.

“Anyway,” she said, seemingly eager to change the subject. “What’s…um…what’s the deal with you and the insanely handsome Mr. O’Conner?”

I slung my bag over my shoulder. “What deal?”

She bit her lip and looked around, as if she weren’t sure she should say what was on her mind. “It’s just…I heard him ask you out earlier today.”

“Oh, God.” I was mortified that my personal business had been on display. “You heard that?”

“Only because I, um, might’ve been listening.”

I laughed. “Sarah! Do I need to give you more to do at the front desk?”

“Sorry, sorry!” she exclaimed as I started out of the office. “It’s just that I was totally going to ask him out, but then I heard him talking to you. I figured that if he wasn’t interested in you, I’d take the shot, but it seems like he’s already got his eye on you.”

“Sarah, you don’t need to hold off on my account,” I assured her. “I mean, that’s very nice of you to think about me. But like you heard me tell him – I don’t date patients.”

“How come?” She formed up at my side as we made our way down the hall to the reception area. A few other doctors and nurses passed us as we walked. “I mean, it’s not every day that a guy like that just falls into your lap. If I were you, I’d be all over a date with him. And then maybe be all over him after the date.”

“Sarah!” She liked to skirt the boundaries of professionalism, but it sure managed to get a laugh out of me every now and then.

“Just saying,” she said with a shrug and a big grin. “He only came in to get his eyes checked – you’re not going to be seeing him all the time.”

“He’s still considered my patient, which makes it unethical. Besides, dating’s not in my schedule right now,” I said. “I’ve got work here and the clinic and my mom – too much to add dating on top of that. No way.”

“Aw, come on,” Sarah said, a trace of protesting to her voice. “You’re brilliant and you’ve got money and you’re definitely the hottest doctor I’ve ever known in real life. Hell, I might try to date you if you’re not careful.” She laughed at her own joke.

“Sarah, ” I warned.

“I know, I know. But you’re my boss! I just want to see you happy, you know?”

“Well, if I did end up dating someone, it sure as heck wouldn’t be a guy like him.”

“What?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. “Why not?”

“Artistic types,” I informed her. “They have to be the most unreliable people in the world. If I were looking for someone to date, which I’m not, it’d be someone with his head more solidly