Doctor Seduction

The hurt that raced through her almost stole Cait’s breath. It was very cold and seemed to numb her nerve endings. Was that all she had been? A challenge?

Of course, she thought. It was the only thing that made sense. He’d gone out of his way this morning to make sure she knew it had been a one-time thing. Why, then, had she believed that it’d had something to do with getting to know her?

“Well, he didn’t,” she said tightly. She stood quickly to take her plate to the sink.

“I’ll pass the word, then.”

Cait whipped back to face her. “Why?”

“Because everyone in the hospital is wondering and it will kill the rumors. Come on, Cait. Pretty nurse. Knockout womanizing doctor. One basement room. Three days. What would you think?”

“I wouldn’t think about it at all! It would be none of my business!”

“Unfortunately the rest of the hospital staff doesn’t share your high ideals.” Tabitha stood, as well, and began cleaning up the takeout packages.

Cait hugged herself, distraught. Now she was another Sam Walters statistic!

Tabitha glanced her way and her expression softened. She dropped a hand on Cait’s shoulder in comfort. Cait twitched. She wasn’t used to being touched. Tabitha took her hand away.

“It’ll all blow over as soon as Sam sets his sights on something else in a skirt,” she assured her. “That’s the way gossip mills run. Anyway, I’ve got to go. I told Jake I’d be back in an hour.”

“Of course. Thanks for stopping by.” Cait realized that this time, for the first time, she genuinely meant it.

They were halfway back to the door when Tabitha turned around. “I almost forgot. I’m supposed to pester you about coming to the hospital’s End of Summer Ball next weekend.”

Cait frowned. “Who told you to pester me?”

“Jake. And Jared Cross.”

Her heart gathered itself into a knot and cannon-balled into her toes. “You talked to Dr. Cross?”

Tabitha looked at her strangely. “He’s my director of child psychiatry. I talk to him on a regular basis.”

“About me?” Her sessions with him were supposed to have been confidential! Or had someone noticed her visiting him? Had rumor gotten out some other way? Tabitha was right about one thing. The hospital-employee environment was closeknit, with people spending long, stress-filled hours together. Gossip was rife.

But Tabitha was shaking her head. “I talked to him about all my staff who were involved in that nightmare. I wanted to know if I could help in any respect.”

Cait finally let her air out. That made sense. It was something Tabitha would do.

“And he mentioned that everyone needed to get back on with their lives as expeditiously as possible,” Tabitha continued.

Cait nodded. “But I never do balls or that sort of thing.”

“I think you should do this one,” Tabitha said. “Jake thinks it will be good for you, too. He’s expected to be released from the hospital by then. Besides, everyone is talking about you. You should stop in, even for a little while, to show them that you’re absolutely fine.”