But the question remained; was she willing to lower to his level for revenge?
CHAPTER TWO
Nicholas Torres took a seat at the small table in the room's corner, deliberately keeping his back to where Dana sat at the bar. She was the last person he expected to see—the last person he wanted to see, given his sour mood.
He’d been having a day from hell. A week from hell, actually. But today brought a climax to the rotten luck that followed him since his girlfriend Ashley called it quits—for the fifth time—last Sunday.
His journey from New York to Trenton was the worst; from a flat tire that set him back an hour because he’d forgotten to pack a spare, to an overheated engine. After raising the hood and having to wait thirty minutes for it to cool down, he found another issue when the car wouldn’t start. Another hour passed before the emergency road assistance showed up, towed his car and offered him a rental. Now here he was, beat, hungry enough to eat a whole cow and mad as hell because Ashley had returned none of his dozen calls to her. The last thing he needed was another source to worsen his mood.
Dana Cole. The woman who stole a job that belonged to him. She did nothing to deserve it, except use her sexuality to get an edge.
He remembered it like yesterday, waiting for the inevitable announcement that would boost his career and earn the respect of the attendings he worked so hard to please. No one deserved the chief residency post as much as he did. Sure, Dana had proven to be a good contender, but throughout their residency she had been no match for his brilliance.
So, it shocked him to the core when he saw her name on the notice board instead of his.
He stared at the board, convinced that his eyes deceived him. No way; it could not be. Not after clocking more hours than the other residents. Not after his support with countless research that earned several awards. Those sleepless nights and days when he’d been too busy to eat a decent meal; were they all for nothing?
Hell no. He had to find Dr. Baines for an explanation. It had to be a mistake. The residency program director had all but promised he was the chosen one. If so, why did he change his mind? What did Dana have that he didn’t?
The trip to Dr. Baines’ office revealed the answer. Looking through the crack in the open door, he saw Dana in the doctor’s embrace, her body pressed to his, leaving no room for speculation. Of course, they were having an affair. That explained him losing the spot to her.
Nicholas thought about what to do; should he report it? Back then, relationships between superiors and subordinates violated the hospital’s rules. To make it worse, Dr. Baines was a married man. Whatever respect he had for Dana disappeared. He retreated, just as she looked up and caught his gaze. He did not wait to see her response, just turned and walked away.
When the news of their affair broke and Dana lost her residency, he tried not to care. She deserved it, he’d thought. There was nothing more Nicholas despised than a cheat, and Dana fit the bill to a T. Instead of working her butt to the bone like he did, she used her body to get ahead.
Eight years had passed since then. Eight years since he assumed his spot as residency chief and worked his way to an attending post before taking an offer at a private pediatric practice in New York.
Though his specialty had given him more success than he could have imagined, he was yet to find the contentment that should have been an automatic addition. He thought Ashley would have made it possible, but he had been wrong. Physically, she had it going on; pretty, with a knock-out body that would melt ice in winter. But she lacked substance. All she wanted was the fast life; drinking and parties. He had been over that lifestyle for years.
His friends often asked why he stuck around, especially when he could have any woman he wanted. But the thought of getting back out there, of being caught up in the promiscuous life he’d struggled to escape, it held no appeal. He held on to the hope that Ashley would come around, that the sweet, responsible girl he fell for would emerge once more.
Scanning the menu that lay on the table, his mind returned to the woman at the other end of the room. He followed Dana’s progress over the years, a part of him relieved that she bounced back from the scandal and the other side wondering how much of her success was legitimate. Was she still cheating her way? Or had the scandal taught her a lesson?
“For someone who claims to not give a shit about her, you sure bring her up a lot,” his best friend Gabriel De Luca said, whenever he mentioned Dana. “After all these years, don’t you think it’s time to get over her?”
“I’ve been over her,” he replied, “ever since med school.”
Yes, for a long time he’d been in love with Dana, the woman with the natural beauty and charm that everyone wanted to hang with, who partied all night and kicked an exam’s butt in the morning. Her impulsiveness and brilliance intrigued him. He wanted to be a part of her world. She was the type of woman to take home to his mother. Mama Torres would have loved her spunk, considering she had a similar trait. She would have been pleased that he found a woman who matched his resilience, with whom he could achieve the life he’d always wanted.
But it wasn’t meant to be. He spent years trying to get to Dana. Trying, and failing miserably each time. Running into her brick wall brought more disappointment than he could take. He gave up. No use chasing a woman who wasn’t into him.
He should have gotten the message in high school, when she rejected his promposal in the middle of homeroom. He had gone all out, with roses and chocolate and a creative poster that would melt any girl’s heart. But not Dana. All she said was, “sorry, Nick, but Jamie already asked.”
“As if it would make a difference,” Dana’s friend said with a smug grin.
“Oh, shut up, Chloe,” Dana replied.
“Be honest. We all think he’s a creep, with that stupid hair that his comb repels and his baggy clothes and… ugh! Do you even bathe?” Chloe asked him. The surrounding kids laughed.
“Chloe!” Dana snapped at her friend and turned to him with a pitying smile. “Sorry about her, she can be a bitch sometimes.” But her response did nothing to ease the burn from her rejection and the mocking stares his classmates gave.
The rebuff shouldn’t have surprised him; Dana had been levels above on the social ladder; beautiful, with long, blond hair that swept her behind and gorgeous blue eyes that lit up when she smiled at him. He admired how she balanced her popularity with maintaining good grades. She wasn’t like the other girls. No. She was everything he wanted in a girlfriend.
But he was at the bottom of the totem pole, with no friends, skinny and unattractive with no fashion or grooming sense. What would a girl like Dana want to do with him?
He had to try. Maybe her kind smiles meant something. Maybe she liked him too.
But he had never been more wrong. Or humiliated. For the rest of their senior year, he could not make eye contact with Dana and he did everything to avoid running into her. There was no one else more relieved for the school year to end. And if his grades hadn’t earned him the valedictorian title, he would have skipped graduation. He was more than ready to start a new chapter.
And start he did. He met Gabriel in undergraduate school and his social life and appearance got a major upgrade. A gym freak, Gabriel began recruiting him from the moment they met. It took no convincing; he’d been sold when he saw how women responded to Gabriel’s toned physique. He wanted what his friend basked in; the steamy, lustful stares from the women on campus.
So, he became a new man. He ditched the bad food, upgraded his wardrobe and hit the gym six days a week. His transformation brought more attention that he’d bargained for, but he loved it; the sex, drinking and revelry, all that he hadn’t explored during high school.
But soon the fast life began affecting his grades. He had to pull back, refocus. He had a goal to complete, to make Mama Torres proud. Slacking off and losing his scholarship would crush her dreams for him. He owed it to her not to fail. After his dad died, she’d taken the rein
s and raised him and his brother. He had to prove that her sacrifice wasn’t in vain, just like his brother did.
So, for his remaining years at undergraduate school, he tore his attention from the women—a hard feat—and focused on his studies. And it paid off. He earned a place at the medical school of his choice. One more step towards his dream. He vowed that nothing would steal his focus again.
Well…until he ran into Dana on his first day.
He stopped in the middle of the walkway, watching as she sauntered towards him, looking more stunning than she did in high school. She now had a woman’s body, with long, shapely legs and full breasts that locked his gaze as she drew closer. She smiled at him; at least, he thought she was, until she walked past and hugged a woman behind him.
She didn’t recognize him. Her quick glance in passing confirmed it, which was no surprise. He’d changed a lot since high school. Gone was the spindly kid with long, unkempt hair with clothes two times his size. He was no longer the quiet nerd who buried his nose in books. Now, he had the best of both worlds; brains and a body that made him proud. A body that guaranteed a date whenever he wanted.
Not that it mattered then. Seeing Dana pulled him back to high school for a moment, to when his shyness took center stage. He remained stuck as she locked arms with her friend, their excited chatter dimming in the distance. But he quickly recovered and followed them. Where was his self-assuredness when he needed it?
“Dana.” His voice came out in a whisper and he tried again. “Dana.”
She stopped and turned to him with a tiny smile. “Yeah?” An indifferent look appeared as she gave him a once over.
“It’s Nicholas.”
The blank stare remained.
“Nicholas Torres.”
“Hmmm… from?”
She has to be kidding, he thought, his face burning. “High school…” he waited for a beat, then added. “The long-haired kid who asked you out to prom…”
“Oh!” Surprise crossed her face as she surveyed him once more. “OMG, Nicholas, I remember you.” She left her friend and gave him a quick hug, then eased back to assess him once more. “Wow… you’ve changed a lot. You look amazing.”
“Thanks.” He stood before her gaze, his smile as wide as a ten-lane highway, feeling like the love-struck teenager he was back in high school. A wave of warmth flooded his core, along with a blast of confidence. Dana liked what she saw. He could tell by the way she kept looking at him. Maybe he should make a move. With any luck, he would get the green light this time.
“Hey, I was thinking…” He palmed the back of his neck, wishing the shyness would go away. “Would you like to grab a drink sometime, before our schedules become hell?”
“Uh…” Dana looked to her friend, who seemed to stifle a smile. “That’s not a good idea, Nicholas. I’m still seeing Jamie.”
“Oh.” He felt like an idiot. Again. His confidence took a nosedive when she gave him the same pitying smile as the day in homeroom, and he backed off with a shrug. “No worries, I’ll see you around.”
“Probably not, but who knows?” She stumbled a bit as her friend pulled her away. “Bye, Nicholas.”
Disappointed, Nicholas walked away with a promise to himself. His crush on Dana had to be over, once and for all. Never again would she get the chance to reject him.
Three years later, he threw his resolution to the side and bid for a date with her at a charity auction. He won, spending more than he’d planned to, but she was worth it. Never in his life had he looked forward to a date that much. He’d gotten to the restaurant half hour before the time, even after changing his outfit several times. With a stunning bouquet in hand he waited, his nerves shot and brimming with anticipation for the night ahead.
But Dana did not show for their date that night, and it crushed him. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, even to this day. Even worse, she did not explain why she bailed on him. Nothing but an “I’m sorry, I wasn’t up to it. Got a lot of stuff on my mind.”
Again, he made another resolve to leave her alone, and he planned to mean it this time. This wasn’t high school; he wasn’t the kid who couldn’t get dates to the prom. There were many women around who vied for his attention, women who kept his DMs busy with racy messages and photos that would make a porn star blush. To hell with Dana and her stuck-up attitude.
His residency brought the busiest years of his life, which helped to temper his feelings for her. He became a star on the rise with his brilliance shining in the patient and operating rooms, and it earned him popularity that attracted more women. During those years, he’d lost count of the one-night stands, the trysts in his apartment, the quickies in the on-call room with another resident before a page came in.
Looking back, he realized how reckless he’d been. That wasn’t who he wanted to be; a man who blew through women without a thought.
Throughout it all Dana had been around, being nice to him, with her subtle flirting and cute smile that he disregarded every time. It was too little, too late. Beyond their work, he wanted nothing to do with her. And he showed his intent as often as he could until she got the message.
When word of the affair got out, he chalked it up to karma for her dishonesty, for stealing his hard-earned promotion. And he liked to think lady fate added a little payback for the way she treated him.
“Hey, there, what can I get ya?”
Nicholas looked up to the server’s smile and returned one of his own. “A beer and a burger, please.” He did not miss the flirty wink she gave him before walking away. A year ago he would have pursued getting her number and she would have ended up in his bed by the end of the night. But since meeting Ashley, he’d thrown the promiscuous life away, ready to settle down and start a family. But Ashley’s constant flip-flopping had worn thin.
Until tonight, he had looked forward to the weekend getaway. His friend’s wedding, catching up with Gabriel, visiting his remaining family in the city. Anything to distract him from the headache Ashley left him with.
Now he wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. Coming to Trenton, seeing Dana again, it added to the heaviness that followed him all week. But this was a large town, with enough space for them both. No reason to think he’d see her again.
“Hey, Nicholas.”
It was as if his thoughts drew her to him, for in an instant, there she was, slipping into the seat before him, giving him a bright smile that left him confused. Why the hell was Dana looking at him with hungry eyes?
CHAPTER THREE
“Dana.” Nicholas’ earlier scowl reappeared as she drew the chair closer to the table. “What are you doing?”
“Uh… taking a seat…”
“I can see that, but why?”
Dana tried not to roll her eyes. Does this asshole think I want to be here? If it wasn’t for the stupid bet and her insane revenge plan, she would have walked past him and through the door. It irked her, his nerve to stare her down as if she did him wrong, when it was the other way around. Because of him, she had to bear a scandal for sleeping with a married man—her boss—Dr. Baines, for god’s sake.
Ugh.
She remembered the night when Dr. Baines came on to her. He’d summoned her to his office after the announcement. She had been so thrilled, especially after thinking Nicholas had the promotion in the bag. It came as a surprise, a pleasant one, that she had edged him out for once.
Arriving at Dr. Baines’ office, she expected a congratulatory welcome, which he gave with much fanfare. What she did not expect was the lingering hug and his hands on her behind. She’d been so shocked, and for a moment remained frozen in place until she caught a movement by the door and looked to meet Nicholas’ eyes. The disgust he wore made her sick inside. Despite their constant rivalry and his bitter response to her, she cared about his judgement.
Ignoring Dr. Baines’ calls after her, she ran out that night, searching the hospital, intending to find Nicholas and explain. But she did not find him there, nor his apartment or t
he local bar he visited when he wanted to destress.
Yes, she knew a lot about him, much more than she should, considering the vehement—and confusing dislike he harbored for her. He tried to hide it, but sometimes the frostiness emerged so vividly in his demeanor it gave her chills. To this day she had no clue why he hated her. She’d never dared to ask.
But even with his obvious disdain, his brilliance made him attractive as hell. Professionally, he kept her competitive side alive. Emotionally, he kept her up at nights. Despite his aloof demeanor towards her, Nicholas was a man who could get it.
Oh, yes.
His thick, sturdy structure conjured constant thoughts of climbing him for the ride of her life and more than once she toyed with the daring idea to seduce him. That would have been something; tearing past his fortitude and fucking him until he melted. It was a challenge she would have loved to conquer.
Sometimes she secretly watched him, wondering how she hadn’t noticed how gorgeous he was before. But then again, back in med school, Jamie’s betrayal had taken center stage. There was no room to notice another man.
It seemed crazy to entertain an attraction to a man who didn’t like her. Also, his reputation as a womanizer was a major red flag. She’d seen him with the women around town and witnessed the comings and goings in the on-call rooms. Yeah, he wasn’t the one… a pity. She allowed common sense to take over and tucked her desire away.
After an unsuccessful attempt to find him that night, she’d gone home intending to see him in the morning and explain that what he saw was an unwanted advance from their boss. But waking up to the scandal that changed her life transformed her attraction to loathing for him.
How could he ruin her life this way? Did he hate her that much? Why?
She wanted to rip into him for reporting an affair that never happened, but she had bigger fish to fry. To continue her medical career, she had to enter another program. If it wasn’t for her brother, Dylan and his connections, she would have had to start from scratch.
Doctor Love: A Medical Romance Series (Medical Heart Throb Series) Page 16
