Masquerade (6 page)

The doors opened and it was blissfully empty. She pressed the button for the lower car park. As she looked through the closing doors, she saw Alex standing and watching and brooding.

By first sleeping with him and now walking out, had she blown her promotion once again?

Sophie threw her bag on the hallway table and wandered over to her couch, sinking into the butter-soft leather cushions. The view of the sparkling river and city skyline lay in front of her. It did nothing to soothe her nerves like it normally did after a tense workday. All she saw was Alex’s handsome, muscular body kneeling at her feet, his capable hands holding hers.

She was in so much trouble.

How could she have let herself get involved with a work colleague again? Hadn’t she learned her lesson last time? If she was truthful, the situation wasn’t the same. When she’d slept with Alex, she’d had no idea he would end up being her boss. With Neil, she’d known exactly what his job was, and how it tied in with hers. What she hadn’t known was his I’ll-sleep-with-whoever-I-can-to-climb-the-social-ladder attitude. What a fool she’d been.

She clenched her fists against the rage building inside of her. She had dealt with those feelings, push them aside as they no longer mattered. She wasn’t going to let them consume her like an evil poison. Her situation with Alex was completely different. She knew who he was now. He was a professional colleague and that’s how she’d deal with him. Just like she’d dealt with the previous ED director before he’d retired. She would tell him so when she saw him next. Let him know in no uncertain terms that what happened New Year’s Eve was in the past and would not affect the way she worked with him. They would create a professional, working relationship and nothing more. Together they would ensure the emergency department ran without any hitches and without any tension between them.

And keep dreaming, sweetheart,
an annoying voice in her head stated.
If Alex offered you another night, you’d definitely consider it.

She pushed that voice aside. She would not succumb no matter how much she wanted to. It would be career suicide and she didn’t think she could possibly handle another failed attempt as NUM. She could kiss her career goodbye if that happened. She would make it work, she had to.

Her mobile ringing was a welcome distraction from her thoughts. She pressed the answer button.

“Hello?”

“So tell me everything.” Phoebe’s excited voice sounded down the line. Truly the last thing she needed was an inquisition from her best friend, but if she handled it now, then hopefully she wouldn’t have to deal with it again.

“There’s nothing to tell, Phoebs. I sat next to Alex at the New Year’s Eve gala, he came over to the table and you met him.”

“You mean he never mentioned that he was working at the hospital?”

“No, Phoebe he didn’t. We didn’t really talk much that night.” Sophie was hoping that Phoebe would stop asking questions, unfortunately her friend wasn’t like that at all.

“So you didn’t hook up with him, at all?”

It was the one question Sophie hadn’t wanted asked. She felt bad keeping her night with Alex from her best friend, but Alex was now in her working life. She wanted to keep the memory of their special night together completely to herself.

“Why would I? He was a complete stranger that night. As I said, we sat together and that was it.”

“Nice try, Soph, but I’m not buying it. I almost got burned from the looks he was sending your way.”

Sophie gave a dry laugh, “It was probably annoyance, thinking he was stuck with an airhead as a NUM.”

“But you are no airhead, Sophie Franklyn, so stop thinking that way,” Phoebe paused before barreling on. “You know Alex could be a nice little distraction for you. You know, help you get back into the game after your split with Mr. Sleaze Bag.”

Sophie’s heart rate galloped into overdrive. She hadn’t given anything away had she? She hadn’t exuded “Alex and I slept together” with any of her looks toward Alex? She knew she had to brush these thoughts out of Phoebe’s mind.

“Definitely not, Phoebe. Been there, lived the gossip headlines. Don’t plan on doing it again.”

“I guess,” a beeping sounded down the line. “Oh that’s me, it’s probably sexy Dr. John calling.”

Sophie felt it only right to warn Phoebe about getting involved with a work colleague. After all she’d done it twice, once intentionally, and the other unintentionally. “Be careful, Phoebs. You know John is only doing his residency here, he has plans to move on.”

Phoebe’s laugh tinkled down the line. “It’s okay, it’s a bit of harmless flirting. You know me, I’m all about having fun. I’m not going to settle down for a very long time.”

“Famous last words,” muttered Sophie.

“I promise I’ll be careful, will that make you feel better?” Phoebe said. “Look I need to go, think about what I said, a fling could be harmless. Bye!”

Sophie ended her call to Phoebe and made her way to the sliding door to step out onto her balcony. The sun had lost some of its bite. Closing her eyes, she lifted her head, savoring the heat from the soft beams of light. The warm rays reached out like tentacles, winding around and permeating her until her whole body glowed with radiant energy. The tension of the day flowed out of her and calmness filled her soul.

She savored the feeling for a few more minutes before returning inside to get a glass of wine and put on some music. She reached for the remote control when the jangle of the house phone had the device slipping out of her hand and clattering loudly on the coffee table.

She wasn’t expecting anybody but she knew that didn’t mean anything. She had an open-door policy for her colleagues, they could come over any time of the day.

She picked up the phone. “Hi, Cliff.”

“Good evening, Miss Franklyn, I have a Dr. Alex Scavoni here to see you. Do you want me to send him up?”

Alex?
What the heck was he doing here and how did he know where she lived? It wasn’t too hard to answer, he would’ve just looked her address up in the staff contact book, but why was he here?

“Miss Franklyn, can I send him up?” Cliff’s voice penetrated her train of thought.

“Ummm, sure.” She sounded so weak. Straightening her back, she injected confidence into her voice. “Yes, Cliff, that’s fine, please send him up.”

“Very good, Miss.”

“Oh, Cliff, before you go, Dr. Scavoni is a new staff member at the hospital. Please add him to my list of people you can automatically send up.”

“Will do, Miss Franklyn. Have a good evening.”

She murmured her thanks as she hung up the phone. She refrained from the desire to rush over to the mirror and make sure her hair was neat and her clothes were straight. This was her home, she could be whomever she wanted to be and Alex would just have to accept her as she was.

She had no more time to think when her doorbell pealed loudly. Taking a deep breath, she went to answer its call.

She was once again taken aback by his good looks. His hair was slightly damp and he was in different clothes from the ones he’d worn at the hospital. Either he lived close by or he’d changed at the hospital.

She felt like a limp rag that had been wrung out time and time again. Her clothes were creased and she wished she’d told Cliff to give her fifteen minutes before sending him up.

“Dr. Scavoni, this is ahh, umm a surprise.” She leaned against the door trying to act casual when her heart was racing ten to the dozen and her legs were starting to lose their ability to stand.

“May I come in, Sophie?”

Direct and straight to the point — it was what she’d admired about him the night they’d met and in the resus room. His confidence was unwavering.

She stepped back and he accepted the silent invitation. As he walked past, his aftershave assailed her senses and she was immediately transported back to the magical night she hadn’t forgotten. The scent was spicy and truly masculine. She breathed deeply to keep the memories alive for a moment longer. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all. She closed the door and leaned against it.

“Are you planning to stand there all night?” he asked.

“I’m debating whether letting you in was a good idea or not.”

“It’s a bit late now and if you didn’t want me to come in, you wouldn’t have allowed the doorman to let me up.”

Sophie couldn’t argue with his logic. She had allowed Cliff to send him up. Sophie folded her arms across her chest, the fabric of her blouse pulling tightly against her sensitized breasts. She wanted to immediately unfold them but didn’t.

“So why are you here, Dr. Scavoni?” she asked, with a formality to show him she was treating this as a professional visit, not a personal one.

“It’s Alex, and we’re beyond such formalities, don’t you think?”

She silently fumed at his words and watched as he looked around the room, taking in her furniture, the view, and the music playing in the background. Her expansive sitting room seemed to shrink before her eyes.

“I’ve come to talk to you about what happened in our office this afternoon,” Alex said.

She sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was rehash their earlier conversation. “I told you I needed time to sort everything out — on my own.”

“Well, I think that’s a mistake. We need to work out our differences now.”

“I don’t care what you think, Dr. Scavoni. I haven’t showered, I’m tired, and hungry. I really just want to be alone.” Sophie tried to keep the pleading tone out of her voice but it was to no avail.

She stood still as he moved toward her with a surefooted grace that was usually equated with wild animals. She shivered and gooseflesh broke out over her skin as he reached out and swept a hand over her head.

“I think I can probably solve a couple of those problems.”

Her heart leapt at the possible ways he could make her problems miraculously disappear.

She took a deep breath before she spoke. “Really? And how do you plan on doing that? By leaving?”

He laughed softly at her challenge. “No, by taking you to dinner.”

She pulled away from his touch. “Look, Alex, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Then don’t think, just act.” She withstood his assessing glance and waited for what he was about to say next. “Come on, Sophie, just a casual dinner between work colleagues is all I’m suggesting. We don’t even have to go far. We can go downstairs and eat at the restaurant. Have a glass of wine, relax, and discuss our issues like two responsible adults.”

The thought was so tempting. To spend a few more hours in his company … but it was also dangerous. She was still attracted to him. Memories of their one night played through her mind at a constant pace. It would be so easy to say yes.

“Say it, Sophie. Please say yes.” It was as if he could read what was going on behind her eyes.

She thought about the meal of leftovers sitting in her fridge. Quick but unappetizing. If she went to dinner she could have a nice meal and not have to worry about any clean up duties.

“Fine,” she said and looked away at the gleam of triumph lighting Alex’s eyes. “Give me twenty minutes to shower and change. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

“Sounds perfect, I’ll arrange for a table.”

He brushed past her and then stopped. Was he reconsidering his offer?

Her breath hitched as he took two backward steps, which brought him in front of her. He turned and caught her by the chin. Her eyes closed involuntary as he leaned in and laid a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. It was over before it started, promising so much and leaving her craving. She swayed slightly as he let her go.

“Don’t be too long,” he whispered. He then made his way to the door and let himself out. All the while, she stood in the middle of the room in a stupor of emotions.

Sophie didn’t know how long she stood there. All she knew was she had to steel her heart against Alex and his charms.

As she pulled herself out of her trance and made her way to her bathroom, she considered all the reasons why she wasn’t in the market for a new relationship, especially not a work colleague. She’d traveled that road once and wasn’t going to do it again.

She’d just started as NUM again, and at this moment in her life, her career was extremely important to her. She’d let her insecurities, and her family’s disappointment in her career choice, overshadow her previous appointment as NUM. It was embarrassing when she’d been demoted, but she’d survived and had grown and learned from her past.

She would also learn from her previous relationship with Neil and make it clear to Alex that a personal relationship was out of the question. She’d been down that road. She knew nothing good ever came from a relationship between work colleagues.

She showered and dressed in a casual silk sheath — the pale blue complemented her blonde hair and aquamarine eyes. With a swift application of makeup, a twist of the wrist and some pins for her hair, she was ready to meet Alex.

As Sophie rode the elevator down to the ground floor, she told herself the fluttering in her stomach was from hunger, and not from nerves of spending the evening with Alex.

She smiled as she walked past the doorman, pausing when he called her name.

“Miss Franklyn?”

“Yes, Cliff, what can I do for you?”

“Dr. Scavoni told me to tell you he has secured a table at Bridges and will be waiting for you there, not at the bar.”

“Thanks, Cliff. Have a good evening.”

She didn’t think Alex would’ve had a problem securing a table — Monday night was not a big social evening — but she had hoped they could’ve shared a relaxing drink first before going into the romantic atmosphere of a restaurant.

Sophie placed her hand on her quivering stomach before turning the handle of the restaurant’s door. She was a grown woman having a pleasant dinner with a work colleague.

Nothing more and nothing less.

She spied Alex the moment she walked into the restaurant. He was seated at a table by the window, the river sparkling and twinkling in the background. The dining room wasn’t crowded and Sophie was grateful for that. She didn’t want prying eyes observing her and Alex as they ate, especially not the press.