Page 14 of Indebted

Her eyes widened, and I’d imagine at one point in time, her eyebrows would’ve risen too. “Joyce’s daughter?”

Hearing my mother’s name rattled me. Did Midge know my mother? “Um, yeah.” I know I didn’t exactly resemble my mother, something I was grateful for. I didn’t need a constant visual reminder of the woman who couldn’t make the time for me every time I looked in the mirror. My auburn hair and brown eyes must’ve come from my dad’s side of the family. Whoever they were. I never knew, according to my mom, my dad never wanted me.

Story of my life.

Midge clicked around on her computer. “Dr. Kingston didn’t say his daughter was coming to work with us.”

“Step-daughter,” I corrected her.

She continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “He didn’t tell us that you were so grown up, and so pretty too.” Her smile could have given me a cavity.

I forced a smile, suddenly uncomfortable. “Thank you?”

She pushed a clipboard of papers over the reception desk at me. “Here’s some paperwork to fill out.”

“No need, Midge. I’ve squared everything away.” Justin entered the front waiting area through a large door. I thought our time apart would’ve tampered my reaction to him, but his voice slid across my skin, making its way into my blood, and making my mind wander to where it shouldn’t. I was right back to being pressed against his body, craving the feel of his lips on mine.

For someone whose occupation involved being around so many people, Justin had an almost dangerous energy about him. Who came to a scary surgeon? Or was it just me? Given the hearts in Midge's eyes, I already had a good idea of the clientele beating down Justin's door.

It didn’t help that he wore another outfit tailored to his every muscular curve. Today his shirt reminded me of sandy beaches, a soft beige with black slacks. The sleeves to his button up were rolled, exposing tanned forearms with a dusting of hair.

Phantom fingers curled around my arms.

I could still feel the strength of him when he’d swung me around at the Ramirez’s house. It left me wanting.

And now I was staring.

I shook myself.

Don’t think about sex with him. Don’t think about sex with him. Don’t you dare think about sex with him.

But not even my final school project, something that had captured my attention for months, could distract me from my wandering thoughts and fantasies of Justin.

I hadn’t seen him in over a week and I couldn’t stop myself from greedily taking in every inch of him.

I caught him doing the same and flushed with pleasure.

Suddenly the A/C didn’t seem so bad.

Midge’s gaze volleyed between us, a curious glint in her eye. I forced a smile to my face. “Morning.”

He didn’t look the least bit disgruntled, as if our mutual undressing hadn’t affected him at all. “Katie, I’d like you to meet Midge. She’s my right hand here.” Midge practically glowed. “She’ll teach you everything you need to know. I’ll have you helping with charting and setting appointments. Midge and I couldn’t agree more on how perfect your timing is.” He shared a smile with Midge and a jolt of jealousy shot through me, shocking the hell out of me.

“That’s right,” Midge’s eyes traveled up and down Justin’s powerful frame. “Dr. Kingston has been very busy. All the PR about the clinic is really bringing in the clients too.”

Justin winced. “We’ve been over this, Midge. That’s not the reason I’m building the clinic.”

“Well either way, we’re getting more attention now than we’ve ever gotten before. I told you it would bring more clients and media. I still think you’re taking on too much. You’re starting to get wrinkles. I told you to let someone else handle it.”

“This is something I want to oversee, it’s important to me.”

Midge rolled her eyes, casting me a glance as if to say, ‘men.’

“Fine, be stubborn, but you should at least relax once in a while. A woman would help with that.”

Did she just make a pass at him?

“Don’t you agree, Katie?”