The Doctor's Cinderella

He sat back in his seat, releasing his hands from the cup. ‘Then you are a very long way from home, Dorothy.’

His smile was wide and Molly sensed genuine. But it was also making her pulse pick up speed. She had to get it under control. She wasn’t sure how but she suspected distance might help.

‘Not so far, really,’ she said matter-of-factly. ‘I’m still working in the field of medicine...’

‘You are and, believe me, I’m not complaining,’ he cut in as he once again leaned forward.

To Molly’s horror he made the distance between them even less. His forest-fresh cologne brought a sudden tingling sensation to her skin.

‘Your medical experience is a huge benefit to my practice, but may I ask why you stepped away from Theatre?’

‘Long story and I won’t bore you. Just say that the temp hours suit me better.’

‘I shouldn’t imagine the remuneration would so much,’ he said matter-of-factly with a frown forming, replacing the previous light-hearted expression. ‘I suppose we stand a chance of losing you, then. I mean, if a better-paid gig came along in line with your experience, with the hours you want, then I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t, blame you for leaving.’

‘You don’t have to worry about that happening,’ she said, hoping her racing heart wasn’t making her blush. ‘If I make a promise or commitment I always keep it. This suits me just fine.’

‘In the interim perhaps, but long-term maybe not so much—’

‘Let’s not fudge words,’ Molly cut in, wanting to end the conversation. ‘I’m barely dry after four hours and my typing speed is twenty-nine words a minute. The average for a temp is over eighty. My strength is my medical background and you’re offering good hours. So, if you’re happy, I’m happy. It’s a great trade-off for both of us.’

‘I think you’re selling yourself short. While I have to agree you arrived a little soggy—I couldn’t help but overhear the hand-dryer running for ten minutes straight earlier on,’ he told her as he leant back on the chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, giving her the space she suddenly realised she needed. ‘But I need more than a great typist in this practice and I think you’ll fit in extremely well. I’m astute enough to see what you’ve accomplished in a couple of hours. You’ve made changes I didn’t know were possible.’

‘It’s hardly rocket science but I’m happy you like what I’ve done. I’ve been here four hours so it wasn’t too difficult to make the changes. You had the software capability, it just needed to be utilised,’ Molly answered as she stood up. She had to create the space between them herself so she collected her bowl and cup, and made her way to the sink. She rolled her eyes at the way she had reacted having him so close. She dropped her bowl into the sudsy water in the sink. The unexpected effect he was having on her was absurd...and disconcerting. She wasn’t about to be swept off her feet. It was ridiculous. And risky. She had more to lose than gain by thinking that way about a man, let alone her boss, and she would never take a risk again.

‘Whether it’s been four hours or four weeks, you instinctively searched for ways to make improvements. It was like a four-hour quality-improvement audit. I never asked you to do that and no previous office manager has, no matter how long they were with me. But it was exactly what I needed. You, Molly Murphy, are exactly what I need and I would like to make it worth your while. In fact... I have a proposition for you.’

CHAPTER FOUR (#u26dbf2a9-5eb8-5723-9132-6906afe4525c)

A PROPOSITION?

Molly’s eyes darted about as she repeated the words in her head. What on earth could he be talking about? She felt quite sure it wasn’t the type of proposition that her body might be silently willing, if he got too close again.

It had to be business, but what? She had a job for a month. Once Maxine’s cast came off she’d return to work and Molly would leave. The practice was busy but not enough to warrant two in administration.

She turned around knowing she wore a curious look but she couldn’t hide it. His expression appeared serious and, damn, it made him look even more handsome. He was making her question so much about him and herself and it didn’t make sense. She was becoming even more unsettled and didn’t trust her reaction so she turned back to the sink. Grabbing for the sponge, she washed her cup and her bowl before she rinsed them both and placed them in the otherwise empty dish drainer. She needed something else to keep her busy and delay her turning back to him. Reaching into the warm shallows of the sink, she searched under the bubbles with her fingers for her spoon. Finding it quickly, she washed it thoroughly and rinsed it with the same attention before she put it in the drainer with the other things. Unfortunately, there was nothing else to wash and nothing else to do. There was effectively no way to stall.

She had no choice but to turn back around to the man who was stirring emotions she forgot she could feel. And those she never wanted to feel again. Hoping the feeling was fleeting and born from a mix of her initial job insecurity and gratitude to be in the role for a few weeks, Molly had hoped it would disappear as quickly as it had appeared. But looking at Ryan she knew it hadn’t gone or even dampened. It was still there. It felt a little like butterflies...and a lot like...she wasn’t sure. But she was confused. It didn’t make sense. She barely knew the man and she had sworn herself to a life without one. Men, particularly handsome, confident men like Ryan, brought only trouble into her life and she didn’t need any more. She also knew how bedraggled she appeared but for some reason the way he looked at her at that moment made her feel unexpectedly beautiful.

She quickly decided her mind was playing tricks on her. How could she possibly see something in Ryan other than as her boss within a matter of hours of meeting? That didn’t happen in real life. That was the stuff of movies. He and she were so very different. He was clearly established and on track with his life, and hers had derailed and she wasn’t sure when or even if it would ever truly be travelling in the right direction. Thanks to the man who she had planned to marry.

And she didn’t need to have her heart broken again.

Once was more than enough.

She noticed his jaw flick as his eyes slowly pulled away from hers. She sensed he hadn’t wanted to look away and that made her confusion grow and those damned butterflies in her stomach flutter manically. It was more than ridiculous. He was her employer, for goodness’ sake. Molly had noticed the absence of a wedding ring although she didn’t know why she’d registered that fact. She no longer cared about a man’s marital status. They were all off-limits in her mind. She couldn’t go there. She couldn’t let her feelings get the better of her. There was only room in her life for one man and that was Tommy. He had to be her sole focus. No one would ever get close enough to ruin their lives again. Her mind was racing and she appeared to have no control over her thought process.

Without warning, and with purposeful steps, he moved closer to the exit.

‘Molly, I can see you’re preoccupied, and I’ve got to get to my home visits, but I want to let you know that I’m proposing a thirty per cent pay increase immediately, I’ll call the agency from my car and let them know. And they’re not getting a cent of it—it’s all yours. You earned it and I hope that might keep you on board and not headhunted. I think you could make a real difference here. If I have anything to do with it, and if I can stop you from getting bored, you might just be with me long after this assignment.’