Page 27 of Doctor's Bossy Match
Something about the way he says it makes my chest tighten like this isn't just about checking off tasks.Like maybe he’s starting to see me as more than a resident with training wheels.My heart flutters in an annoying, inconvenient way I don’t have time for.I ignore it and push to my feet.
As I step out of the office, I tell myself to focus.
I call out, “Scarlet, Dusty?You’re up.”
They rise from the waiting chairs and head toward me, Dusty’s small hand curled around his mom’s.I turn to follow them into the office, and then I freeze.
Dr.Harrison is kneeling in front of Dusty.In his pristine, steel-gray suit, polished shoes, and all the usual sharp angles, he’s crouched low, arms open as Dusty wraps tiny arms around his neck.Scarlet is beside them, a hand on her son’s back, smiling softly.The whole thing wasn’t something I was expecting.
My breath catches.My brain short-circuits.
That’s not the Dr.Harrison I usually see.
And it shouldn’t be doing whatever it’s doing to me, but it is.
He murmurs something low to Dusty… something gentle, and I watch Brant’s face crack open into a rare, boyish smile.It's the kind of smile that shouldn’t belong to a man like him.It knocks me off balance.
His eyes flick up.Finding mine.And my heart stutters.
“Coming in, Dr.Thomas?”he asks, a little amused.
“Yep.”I snap my jaw shut and force my legs to move forward, but they feel like jelly beneath me.
The way he saysDr.Thomas.God, it’s both soothing and electric.It’s not flirty.Not even close.But it hits like a direct spark.There's something empowering about it.Like I'm not just some resident tagging along.But more like I belong in this room.
I drop into the seat, feeling every heartbeat of my pulse in my ears.Dr.Harrison rises to his full height and rounds the desk to sit, his chair squeaking slightly as he settles in.He’s all business again, but that image of him with Dusty—so kind, genuine, human—lingers in my mind.
He starts going over Dusty’s latest test results, bloodwork, a scan update, something about his heart functioning as normal.
As I’m listening, I’m trying to figure out how someone like him managed to look so at ease on the floor with a kid in his arms.
He finally turns to me and asks, “Do you have any questions?”
I shake my head.“Nope.All good.”
Liar.I haven’t absorbed a thing.
He moves on, walking Scarlet and Dusty through the next steps.I try to get it together, write a few notes, try to focus on the conversation.But the buzzing beneath my skin won’t go away.
As they stand to leave, Dr.Harrison offers Dusty another quick hug.I give Dusty a high-five, which he returns with a shy smile.Scarlet glances at me over her shoulder as they turn toward the door.
Dr.Harrison moves away to log something on his computer, giving me the chance to walk them out.As soon as we’re outside his office, she pauses.“You, okay?”she whispers, her hand brushing my arm.
“Yeah,” I lie.“Just taking it all in.”
She narrows her eyes slightly, not buying it.“What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing,” I say too quickly.“Seriously.Just a long first week.”
Scarlet lifts an eyebrow but lets it drop.“My mom said to tell you dinner at our place on Saturday.She wants to do a barbecue.”
“That sounds good.Do you want me to bring anything?”
“Just yourself.”
I laugh.“I’ll bring wine.”
“Perfect.”She leans in to hug me.“It was nice seeing you again.”
